June 14, 2018

Eleven days before the 2016 presidential election, then FBI Director James Comey publicized another investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, this time found on the laptop of Anthony Wiener, then married to Clinton’s aide Huma Abedin. Clinton’s polling sank before Comey provided information two days before the election that there was no illegal action—the same finding he made in all other investigations into her emails since she had been Secretary of State. But the damage was done. In combination with gerrymandering, voter suppression, and Russian “fake news” on social news, Comey’s actions gave the election to Dictator Donald Trump (DDT). Never did Comey announce before the election that the FBI had started looking into Russian involvement with DDT’s campaign four months before the election.

In frequent attempts to divert attention from the Robert Mueller’s investigation into DDT and Russia, DDT has demanded that the DOJ release the report regarding Comey’s participation in the election. Today, DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz released the report that DDT lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other conservatives are touting as justification for stopping the Mueller investigation.

Horowitz’s office reviewed over 1.2 million document and interviewed over 100 people. These are some of the results to the 500+-page document.

Comey used personal email to conduct official business, “inconsistent with the FBI Policy Statement.” (Comey had accused Clinton of having classified information on her private email server, but these emails were not originally declared as classified.)

Horowitz, did not disagree with the FBI conclusion that Clinton should not be prosecuted and found no evidence that the FBI rigged the conclusion. Horowitz said, “We did not identify evidence of bias or improper considerations [about the conclusion].”

Comey was “insubordinate” in his probe and damaged the appearance of impartiality in the FBI and DOJ although he wasn’t motivated by politics. He hid his intentions from his superiors to keep them from stopping his making his statements and told subordinates to do the same.

Comey violated DOJ policies and usurped the authority of then Attorney General Loretta Lynch by holding the July 2016 news conference to announce a lack of insufficient evidence to charge Clinton with a federal crime for using a private email server.

The FBI was wrong in its one-month delay between the discovery of new Clinton emails on September 28, 2016 and the search warrant in late October to search for new evidence.

Comey made a “serious error of judgment” in sending a letter to Congress on Oct. 28, 2016, announcing he was reopening the investigation of Clinton’s use of the server while secretary of state.

Five FBI officials expressed hostility toward DDT before his election; they have been referred for possible disciplinary action. (The FBI employs approximately 35,000 people.)

The report did not find the work of any FBI officials, even those expressing antagonism toward DDT, to be flawed. To remove their right to express their opinions on their own time removes their right to Freedom of Speech in the First Amendment.

“The Justice Department’s inspector general’s report released Thursday makes clear that former FBI director James B. Comey blew it in his handling of Hillary Clinton’s emails. He treated her unfairly, intruding into the election in ways that worked to Donald Trump’s benefit. Inspector general Michael Horowitz found that the FBI didn’t erroneously let Clinton go free. To the contrary, his report makes clear that Comey acted outside department norms in ways harmful to her….

“Comey’s conduct violated Justice Department norms and very possibly cost Clinton the election. Trump, already concerned about the legitimacy of his election, will have to wrestle with the fact that but for Comey’s grandstanding, he would not be president….”

After insistently demanding the Clinton report, DDT has nothing thus far to say about it. Soon, however, he will be slamming Comey for his inappropriate action and the behavior of his agents who gave DDT the highest office in the nation.